Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Our Program: Patient Care, Gastroenterology Training, Research

A World-Class Gastroenterology/Hepatology Section

Under the leadership of Interim Division Chief, Dr. Humberto Sifuentes, the Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University excels in treating complex and challenging problems, teaching state-of-the-art medicine, and researching the gastrointestinal tract, including the esophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, pancreas, liver and bile ducts.

What’s more the growing section will soon open a dedicated Digestive Health Center that will deliver comprehensive multidisciplinary care and feature one of the region’s leading clinic for gastrointestinal motility disorders.

Delivering Focused, Multidisciplinary Patient Care

Our team of skilled and experienced physicians include nationally and internationally recognized experts who offer the only multidisciplinary gastroenterology care in Georgia and surrounding states. These caring professionals deliver the most comprehensive specialty and subspecialty gastrointestinal, endoscopic, hepatology and nutritional services in the area.

We also offer complex neurogastroenterology and motility procedures not available at other area facilities. Care is thoroughly integrated with surgery, urology, otolaryngology, neurology, radiology, nutrition and other disciplines, creating a model of multidisciplinary care unmatched in Georgia. 

Learn more about our patient care

Educating Tomorrow’s Preeminent Gastroenterologists

The division is dedicated not just to training competent gastroenterologists, but to forging tomorrow’s trailblazers. Dr. Vega and his colleagues bring an unsurpassed enthusiasm and commitment to teaching students at the bench, the bedside and in the conference room. They teach both conventional and advanced/novel procedures, making our fellowship program an excellent choice for highly motivated fellows.

Expanding Knowledge and Boundaries Through Research

The section also conducts pioneering and interdisciplinary research to better understand gastrointestinal and liver disorders and nutrition. Current innovative and collaborative projects include: 

• Brain-gut interactions in irritable bowel syndrome, Parkinson’s Disease  and interstitial cystitis
• Understanding how biofeedback therapy improves bowel problems.
• Role of adenosine in the pathogenesis of esophageal (non-cardiac) chest pain
• Dietary fructose intolerance – evaluation of a new enzyme therapy
• Dietary fructan intolerance and FODMAPS Diet
• Novel biofeedback techniques for rectal hyposensitivity and rectal hypersensitivity
• Repetitive translumbar/transsacral stimulation for fecal incontinence
• Validation of wireless motility capsule and 3-D high definition manometry
• Evaluation of acetaminophen as an analgesic adjunct to endoscopic procedures
• Colonic cancer cell proliferation - role of genes and gene expression
• Hepatic cancer
• Methanogenic flora, constipation and IBS - a pathogenic link
• Mucosal immunology, intestinal microbiota and gene expression
• New clinical trials in IBS, constipation and IBD